Your resume is one of the tools that tells your story, highlights your suitability for a prospective job, and has the potential to set you apart from your competition. With this in mind, a resume should be regularly reviewed and revised to ensure that the most current and suitable information is provided to recruiters. We have devised 10 resume writing tips to cross-reference before you submit your next application.

While the majority of job seekers are knowledgeable about employer expectations, the job search process itself can be confusing. Different resume versions, online applications, and a LinkedIn account can serve as a source of frustration. In this age of technology, the job search process has become less personal, with selection sometimes being based on algorithms and human resource software specifications.

There are many options for promoting yourself to potential employers. Whether you are using a CV, chronological resume, functional/skills-based resume, portfolio, promotional video, social media platforms, personal website, or LinkedIn profile, there are many ways to highlight your qualifications and attributes.
In addition to recommending the use of keywords, there is an emerging focus on headlining accomplishment-based examples. This format allows the job seeker to portray their value, innovation, and special skills.

It has become much more commonplace for large employers to host a Job Fair when conducting a mass hire. This time efficient, cost efficient process allows them to meet multiple candidates, in a short period of time, and form a viable first impression.

For many employers, the recruitment process is as much about risk management as it is about finding qualified applicants. Consider this: Workopolis reports that, “According to a recent study by the Conference Board of Canada, the average time needed to fill a role is 56 days, with the average cost to hire a new employee coming in at $6,227.” Put simply, this process is time-consuming and expensive. Employers, especially those with lots hiring experience, know that what they need most are passionate people who will stay long enough to return on the investment of energy and money that goes into the onboarding process.

To say that deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life before age 18 is difficult is an understatement. With an ever changing labour market, it is predicted that by 2020 many of the careers that will be lucrative do not even exist yet. In addition, we have seen an emerging pattern of multiple careers over one’s work lifetime. What that means is the work life your parents knew with full time, permanent, lifetime positions with benefits and a company pension plan is not the vocational landscape of today. Yet, due to the changes in the world of work, there are also more opportunities to land international jobs, work in the gig economy, pursue careers related to innovation, or develop your entrepreneurial spirit by finding unique ways to solve current problems.
That being said, you may now find yourself at a crossroad attempting to identify whether employment, post-secondary education, apprenticeship, volunteerism or travel is the next step for you. We have devised a checklist of recommendations and resources to help you with this decision.

Years ago the term ‘digital footprint’ would not have been referenced when discussing job search preparation yet today we know that over 90 percent of employers are checking you out online at some point during the hiring process. While you may think that this tactic is an invasion of privacy, the harsh reality is that when you post something on one of your platforms YOU are sharing it with the world and, unless modified in privacy settings, anyone can access this information freely. We are increasingly hearing about educational scholarships and job opportunities being lost because of something recruiters have found online that does not align with their professional brand or vision. We all know the marketplace is competitive so putting our best foot forward is to our advantage. This begs the question “Is your behavior on social media platforms helping or harming your career prospects”?

We so often hear people referring to the concept of the ‘dream job’. Whether measured by responsibilities, status, income or additional benefits, the dream job tends to be more of a long term goal for most of us. But first, we must conquer the entry level job to get our feet wet, learn to manage employer expectations, customer complaints, deadlines, workplace politics, and job-related challenges.